Oregon immigrant who got arrested after taking sanctuary inside church temporarily released

File - This Sept. 24, 2014 file photo shows Francisco Aguirre, a community activist who first came to the U.S. from El Salvador two decades ago, as he poses for a photo in the church where he had taken refuge to avoid deportation in Portland, Ore. Aguirre was arrested on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014 on federal charges of illegal re-entry. (AP Photo/Gosia Wozniacka, file)
(The Associated Press)

PORTLAND, Ore. – A federal judge has ordered the temporary release of an immigrant activist who took refuge at an Oregon church to avoid deportation and was arrested this week on federal charges of illegal re-entry.

Judge Janice Stewart on Friday ordered Francisco Aguirre to be released while he's awaiting the start of his trail on Jan. 13.

The 35-year-old Aguirre, who came to the U.S. from El Salvador nearly two decades ago, was arrested Thursday in another courtroom. He was there to settle a DUI case.

Aguirre was deported in 2000 after a drug conviction; he then unlawfully re-entered the country.

He came to the attention of authorities in August after a DUI arrest. He took refuge at the church in September after authorities tried to detain him.